Method of blow moulding container

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method of increasing stress crack resistance of a blow moulded polyester bottle.

[0002] An economically and commercially viable, refillable plastic bottle would reduce the existing landfill and recycle problems associated with disposable plastic beverage bottles and more particulary with plastic beverage-bottles formed of PET. In addition, a refillable bottle would permit the entry of the safer, lighter weight plastic containers into those markets, currently dominated by glass, where legislation prohibits use of non-returnable packages.

[0003] Technically, a refillable plastic bottle must remain aesthetically and functionally viable over a minimum of five and preferably over ten trips or loops to be considered economically feasible. A loop is comprised of (1) an empty caustic wash followed by (2) contaminant inspection and product filling/capping, (3) warehouse storage, (4) distribution to wholesale and retail locations and (5) purchase, use and empty storage by the consumer followed by eventual return to the bottler. To achieve viability, the plastic container should maintain a fill level volume variation of one and one half percent or less and resist breakage due to impact, burst and/or environmental stress crack failure over its useful life.

[0004] The ideal plastic refillable container must be clear and transparent to permit visual contaminant inspection prior to filling. In addition, the container should be of a one piece construction with an integral blow molded base member to eliminate visual inspection and other problems associated with two piece containers (i.e., two piece being defined as a blow molded body with a hemispherical closed end typically attached to an injection molded base cup where the base cup provides vertical stability).

[0005] At this point it is to be understood that several polymer candidates provide the clarity and physical properties deemed necessary to produce refillable plastic bottles and like containers. These polymers include polyethylene terephthalate (PET), acrylonitrile, polyarylate, polycarbonate, etc. Of the polymers commercially available, PET offers the best balance of properites and cost/performance ratios.

[0006] Non-returnable PET beverage containers are commercially produced for the most part by way of a two step process which involves the injection and/or extrusion molding of a preform followed by reheating of the preform, equilibration and stretch blow molding to the desired container geometry. Application of known beverage bottle technology for returnable PET containers does not yield acceptable performance results. In particular, containers produced by way of conventional preform and bottle design and process conversion techniques typically fail versus refillable performance specifications criteria after two to three trips or loops.

[0007] For example, DE-A-28 07 949 discloses a transparent returnable plastic bottle for carbonated beverages having a relatively thick-walled, substantially inflexible body, formed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with high intrinsic viscosity (IV), e.g. from 0.85 to 1.50.

[0008] It is an aim of this invention to provide a method of blow moulding a refillable thermoplastic PET container having a thin-walled, flexible body which can retain its aesthetic and functional performance over five to ten complete refill trips or loops.

[0009] The present invention accordingly provides a method of increasing stress crack resistance of a transparent blow moulded polyester bottle having a relatively thin biaxially oriented sidewall and a relatively thick less oriented champagne-type base when subjected to alternate pressurisation and caustic washing at 60 _° C, the method comprising providing a preform having a thicker wall in a base forming section than in a sidewall forming section and stretch blow moulding the preform to form a bottle in which the base has an increased thickness relative to the thickness of the sidewall.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a schematic showing the typical cycle or loop through which a refillable container must pass.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through a preform of a special configuration wherein the desired bottle structural characteristics may be obtained.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and shows the general cross section of the preform.

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and shows the cross section of the preform in a lower thickened wall portion.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through a typical refillable bottle formed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing specifically a desired lower body and base configuration.

[0011] It has been found that failure (via crack initiation and propagation) of biaxially oriented blow molded PET bottles and like containers exposed to caustic wash baths occurs primarily in the base area and most particularly in the central part of the base area which has little or no orientation. Further, in recent years there has been developed a method of increasing the structural integrity of the bottom structure of a blow molded plastic material container as is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,334,627 granted June 15, 1982. In accordance with this patent, the preforms are provided in the lower portion thereof, i.e. that portion which becomes the container base, with longitudinal ribs.

[0012] In addition, it has been found in recent years that the intrinsic viscosity of PET homopolymers is an important factor relative to reducing crack initiation and propagation problems.

[0013] With the foregoing as starting points, preforms of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,334,627 were produced by conventional molding techniques using PET homopolymers having intrinsic viscosities of 0.72, 0.84 and 1.06, respectively, as measured by ASTM D 2857 standards. More particularly, the preforms with a molded threaded neck finish, were circular in cross section, six inches in length below the neck finish and having an outside diameter of 28.58mm (1.125 inch) at the mid body with a wall thickness on the order of 4.57±0.508mm (0.180 ± 0.020 inch). This preform was utilized to form one liter bottles having a height below the neck finish of 254 mm (10.0 inches), and a maximum diameter of 76.2 mm (3.0 inches) with a "champagne" push-up base.

[0014] Conventional process conditions were utilized, these conditions including:

[0015] Preform reheat temperatures were adjusted to yield a wall thickness in the container body of 0.508 ± 0.127 mm (20 ± 5 mil) with a mimimum preform temperature necessary to produce clear containers. Average preform temperatures, as measured in an isoparabolic drop calorimeter, were 85 °C (185 °F), 89 °C (1920 F) and 98 °C (208 °F) respectively for the 0.72, 0.84 and 1.06 intrinsic viscosity polymers.

[0016] Containers formed in accordance with the above program were subjected to the following simulated life cycle:

First of all, each container was subjected to a typical commercial caustic wash solution which was prepared with 3.5% sodium hydroxide by weight with tap water. The wash solution was maintained at 60 _° C (140_°F) and the bottles here submerged uncapped in the wash for 15 minutes to simulate the time/temperature conditions of a commercial bottle wash system.

[0017] After removal from the wash solution, the bottles were rinsed in tap water and then filled with a carbonated water solution at 4.05 x 10⁵ ± 0.203 x 10⁵ Nm-² (4.0 ± 0.2 atmospheres), capped and placed in a 38 °C (100 °F) convection oven at 50% (Relative Humidity) RH for 24 hours. However, the fill pressure may be as high as 5 volumes (i.e. 5 atmospheres pressure in the bottle, that is 5.06 x 10⁵ Nm-²). This elevated oven temperature was selected to simulate longer commercial storage periods at lower ambient temperatures. Upon removal from the oven, the containers were emptied and again subjected to the same wash/fill cycle until failure.

[0018] In addition, control bottles from the 0.84 intrinsic viscosity run were (1) exposed to twenty consecutive wash cycles for fifteen minutes each with no pressure exposure between cycles and (2) others were exposed to twenty consecutive pressure fill and elevated temperature storage cycles with no caustic wash exposure between cycles. Results of such tests are tabulated below:

[0019] A failure was defined as any crack propagating through the PET bottle wall which resulted in leakage and pressure loss. No cracks were seen in the 0.84 intrinsic viscosity bottles that were exposed only to caustic wash or pressure filled cycling. Bottles in each run exposed to a complete wash/pressure cycling failed in seven cycles or less.

[0020] Given the above, it was concluded that the caustic solution acts as a stress crack agent if, and only if, residual stresses were present in the PET bottles due to geometrical strains imparted to the polyester during the pressurization cycles.

[0021] All cracks initiated on the interior surface of the bottle and propagated through to the exterior wall. Several crack initiation mechanisms were noted: (1) radial cracks initiating at the base contact radius and propagating around the base; (2) radial cracks initiating on the interior surface of the structural reinforcing ribs and propagating around the base, and (3) axial cracks initiating opposite the preform injection gate and propagating axially through the bottle base. All failures occurred in the unoriented base area of the bottle (biaxial orientation as occurs in the bottle sidewalls significantly improves crack resistance). Axial crack initiation but not propagation was evident in the shoulder or neck transition area (from the unoriented to the oriented PET bottle sidewall).

[0022] It is to be understood that there is a certain degree of creep (i.e. non-elastic volume expansion over time) which occurs in PET bottles under internal pressure. Notwithstanding this, overall volume shrinkage due to 60 °C (1400 F) washing exceeded the filled 38 °C (100°F) creep level and objectionable distortion in the shoulder transition area between the bottle body and the neck finish was evident on all bottles exposed to the elevated temperature caustic washing; as was the gradual "chalking" of the outside surface of the bottles. This chalking or whitening was most pronounced in the low orientation transition area between amorphous non-oriented and semi-crystalline oriented. From the foregoing, it can be concluded that bottles produced using presently commercially acceptable conventional non-returnable PET beverage bottle technology are unacceptable for multiple trip usage. The principal problems include 60 °C (140_°F) shrinkage in excess of the creep which occurs during the filled portion of a simulated commercial cycle and stress crack failures during the wash portion of the cycle.

[0023] At this time it is pointed out that the maximum permissible volume deviation is ±1.5% and crack failures of any type are unacceptable.

[0024] After much work, it was found that the crack problem could be greatly reduced by in lieu of providing a rib reinforced base, the reinforcing for the base be continuous. Accordingly, as is shown in Figure 2, there has been provided a preform 10. The preform 10 has at its open upper end a molded threaded neck finish 12 and below the neck finish 12 the preform 10 is of a tapered increasing thickness in the area 14. The primary portion of the length of the preform 10 is in the form of a body portion 16 which is generally of a constant thickness and is annular in cross section as is shown in Figure 3. Most particularly, a base portion 20 is provided with a thickened wall portion 22 (which persons skilled in the art may refer to as a flute or flute portion 22) which provides for a thickening of the base portion over that of the body portion 16. While the wall thicknesses of the body portion and the base portion may be varied, the body to base portion wall thickness ratio will remain constant. The thickened wall portion 22 extends down into the bottom 24 of the preform 10.

[0025] A change was also made in the resultant bottle 30 which is provided with a base which has a contact diameter radius 32. As is best shown in Figure 6, the radius 32 was increased from 2.54mm (0.100 inch) to 3.81 mm (0.150 inch). However, the base contact diameter radius may be as great as 7.62mm (0.300 inch) and the inside base blend radius may be on the order of 0.762mm (0.030 inch) to 1.27mm (0.050 inch).

[0026] Preforms with the flute as opposed to the ribs were produced with 0.84 intrinsic viscosity PET and reheat blown to form a bottle such as, but different from the bottle 30 of Figure 5, but with the increase in the critical contact diameter radius 32.

[0027] These bottles were subjected to consecutive wash/pressure cycles of the type disclosed above. No crack of the radial type described above occurred after ten cycles. Cracks of the axial type did initiate in the base 34 and shoulder 36 regions or the bottles after fifteen cycles, but no propagation failures were seen. On the other hand, total volume shrinkage approached 7.0%. Visible distortion was evident in the shoulder orientation-transition area and the bottles exhibited visible whitening due to caustic salt deposition.

[0028] This success led to the conclusion that commercially viable, refillable PET containers would be feasible if the container structure minimized geometry induced stress build-up during pressurization periods and if the shrinkage/distortion problem et 60 _° C (1400 F) could be reduced to a level below ±1.5% volume change over 5 to 10 loops and as high as 20 loops.

[0029] At this time there has been developed technology which increases the thermal stability of PET containers through the application of product configuration and process control features to increase the percent crystallinity of the PET morphology in the blow molded containers.

[0030] Density as measured by ASTM test method =1505 is a useful measure of crystallinity as per:

Where:

ds = sample density in gcm³

da = 1.333 gcm³ (amorphous)

dc = 1.455 gcm³ (100% crystalline)

[0031] Increasing the percent crystallinity in the container side wall reduces polymer molecular mobility and thus container shrinkage at a given temperature.

[0032] Typical prior art techniques to raise PET bottle sidewall crystallinity involve heat setting by blowing the container into a mold maintained at 149-204 °C (300-400 °F) and subsequent internal cooling.

[0033] The recently developed technology utilizes container design and process control techniques rather than typical heat set techniques to produce containers with a 24-30% crystallinity level and improved thermal stability (i.e. resistance to shrinkage at elevated temperatures) vs. that of containers produced by conventional non-returnable PET bottle technology.

[0034] In accordance with the aforementioned recently developed technology, the preform may be reheated on a conventional stretch blow molding machine equipped with a quartz IR reheat oven wherein the preform is heated to a temperature just prior to stretch blowing on the order of 107 _° C (225 _° F) to 118 _° C (245 _° F).

[0035] This newly developed technology was utilized in conjunction with a preform configurated to yield an initial wall thickness of 4.57 ± 0.508mm (0.180 ± 0.020 inch) and a final bottle wall thickness of 0.508 ± 0.127mm (0.020 ± 0.005 inch) with a total preform draw ratio of eight to one. This preform had a weight of 100 grams and a length below the neck finish of 158.75mm (6.250 inches) and a mid body diameter of 31.75mm (1.250 inches).

[0036] Further, the length of the tapered portion 14 of the preform was greatly increased which permits orientation of the shoulder area 36 to within 0.635mm (0.250 inch) of the finish area, and as close as 2.54mm (0.100 inch), for a generic 1.5 liter bottle configuration as is shown in Figure 5.

[0037] Preforms were injection molded of 0.84 intrinsic viscosity PET homopolymer. The increased preform wall thickness over that of the previous preforms resulted in partial molecular recrystallization in the injection cavity. As such, the decrease in transparency (i.e. haze) in these preforms was measurably higher than in the originally discussed preforms as measured by ASTM D-1003 standards.

[0038] These preforms were heated to a temperature of 118°C (245 °F) (the maximum achievable prior to the onset of surface crystallization). In addition, the blow mold temperature was increased to 82 °C (180°F) to permit bottle annealing prior to removal from the blow mold. The finished bottles were subjected to twenty simulated wash/pressure trips. No radial stress crack failures were evident even after twenty cycles or loops. Several containers contained minor axial base cracks that initiated at the preform injection gate but did not propagate through the wall to permit pressure loss. Final volume change was -0.65% which is well within the ± 1.5% fill level specification. On the other hand, final perpendicularity (TIR) averaged 5.72mm (0.225 inch)vs. a target of 4.57mm (0.180 inch). Burst pressure exceeded 1.24 x 10⁶ Nm^-2 (180 psi). However, 40% of the containers tested for 1.83m (6'), H₂0 filled, ambient, 90 impact, failed. However, it is apparent from the test that bottles formed in accordance with this invention may readily complete 5 to 10 loops even with the thinner wall thickness.

[0039] Pressurized perpendicularity problems with one piece containers are typically associated with variations in wall thickness around the base contact or chime radius. Pressurized PET will creep over time particularly at elevated temperatures. Unoriented PET, as per the base area 34 of the container in Figure 5 will creep more extensively than oriented PET. In addition, the extent of creep will increase with decreasing wall thickness.

[0040] To minimize the radial wall thickness variation, the injection gate must be accurately centered within the blow base. To accomplish perfect centering, the previously provided preform was modified to have a projection 26 on the inside closed end of the preform for engaging a recess in a tip of a stretch blow centering rod (not shown) which centering rod is customary. The centering rod in turn guides the preform accurately to the center of the blow base during the inflation process.

[0041] Drop impact failures in one piece champagne base configuration containers usually occur in the unoriented, amorphous area of the base due to the reduced strength of this area vs the oriented sidewalls. Crack failures usually initiate in the chime area (radius 32) at the point of impact and propagate through the unoriented wall thickness. To minimize impact failure, the preform was modified so as to reduce the length of the thickened wall portion 22 thereby reducing the unoriented wall thickness in the base chime area (radius 32).

[0042] Finally, to reduce the incident of axial crack initiation during caustic wash cycling, the preform was modified to increase the wall thickness in the area of the injection gate, i.e. at the base of the preform generally identified by the numeral 24. It will be seen that this base portion is generally flat as opposed to the customary generally uniformed cross section.

[0043] Bottles were formed with this modified preform construction which is most specifically illustrated in Figure 2 to form bottles of the configuration as is generally shown in Figure 5 but with the base chime area 40 being of the configuration shown in Figure 6 and with the radius 32 being 3.81 mm (0.150 inch), although this radius may be increased to be as high as 7.62mm (0.300 inch). These so formed bottles manufactured with the preform temperature and blow mold temperature and timing as discussed above were subjected to twenty consecutive caustic wash/pressure fill cycles. No axial or radial crack initiation was evident. All containers were within the ±1.5% volume specification even after twenty cycles. Perpendicularity (TIR) averaged 2.16mm (0.085 inches) with no individual bottle being above 3.81 mm (0.150 inch). Caustic salt build-up on the containers resulted in some surface whitening. However, the residue was easily removed by manual scrubbing.

[0044] At this time, it is pointed out that the resultant containers can be further improved by additional known commercial processes. For example, a commercially available polymer coating may be applied to the refillable container to minimize scuffing/scratching over the useful life period and to eliminate whitening of the container surface over repeated caustic wash cycles. Also, there may be applied commercially available preform thread finish crystallization techniques to increase the modulus of the finish as required to minimize damage to the critical top sealing radius 42 of the bottle as shown in Figure 5.

[0045] The preform may also be formed of a multilayer construction including internal barrier layers so as to extend shelf life. The application of such multilayer preforms may be utilized to reduce contaminant absorption (if filled with non-food products) and subsequent product contamination after washing and refilling.

[0046] Although an acceptable container was at hand, it was decided to explore the effect of higher sidewall crystallinity levels. Bottles of the type described above were produced under identical conditions except that the blow mold temperature was increased to 177°C (350 _° F) and internal cooling was introduced into the bottle prior to removing the heat set bottle from the blow mold. Percent crystallinity was calculated via sidewall density measurements at 31.5.

[0047] The containers formed in accordance with the above were cycled through the caustic wash/pressure pack test and 60% of the samples failed by way of axial and radial sidewall cracks in less than twenty cycles. While physical measurements indicated excellent dimensional stability, it was concluded that excessive sidewall crystallization beyond 30% raises the modulus of the biaxially oriented PET matrix to the point where repeated expansion/contraction cycling causes a semi-rigid morphology to fail.

[0048] Under the circumstances, it is believed that 24-30% crystallinity is an optimum level for a refillable PET container which is preferably in the form of a bottle having an injection molded threaded neck finish.

[0049] In order that the details of a bottle which may withstand 20 cycles may be fully appreciated by one skilled in the art, in Figure 5 there has been applied to the bottle drawing the dimensions of the wall thickness of such bottle at various points in the bottle. When the bottle is required to withstand a lesser number of cycles, for example on the order of 5 to 10 cycles, the various wall thicknesses may be less.

Claims

1. A method of increasing stress crack resistance of a transparent blow moulded polyester bottle (30) having a relatively thin biaxially oriented sidewall and a relatively thick less oriented champagne-type base (34) when subjected to alternate pressurisation and caustic washing at 60 °C, the method comprising providing a preform (10) having a thicker wall in a base forming section (22) than in a sidewall forming section (16) and stretch blow moulding the preform (10) to form a bottle (30) in which the base (34) has an increased thickness relative to the thickness of the sidewall.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the bottle (30) has a shoulder area (36) tapering to a neck finish (12) for receiving a closure, and said base (34) has a bottom wall which is continuously reinforced in that it does not comprise a ribbing.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the preform (10) comprises an opening having a neck finish (12), a shoulder forming portion (14) increasing in wall thickness and tapering outwardly below said neck finish (12), the sidewall forming section (16) has an annular cross section and the base forming section (22) comprises a cylindrical wall (22) and a hemispherical closed end (24), said base forming section (22) being thickened throughout when compared with the sidewall forming section (16) whereby the base of the bottle (30) is relatively thick and has low orientation and the sidewall of the bottle (30) is relatively thin and is biaxially oriented.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said bottle bottom wall has a thickness of about 4.57 mm (0.180 inches) and the bottle sidewall has a thickness of about 0.635 mm (0.025 inches).

5. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim comprising the step of heating the said preform (10) just prior to the stretch blow moulding step to a temperature being substantially the maximum achievable prior to the onset of surface crystallisation thereby to produce increased percentage crystallinity in the sidewall of the bottle (30).

6. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein said polyester is PET.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the step of heating the preform (10) just prior to the stretch blow moulding step to a temperature of from 107_°C to 118_°C (225 _° F to 245°F) thereby to produce crystallisation in the sidewall of the bottle (30) of from 24 to 30%.

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the preform (10) is heated whilst on a stretch blow moulding apparatus by a quartz infra red reheat oven.

9. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the preform (10) is stretched such that the bottle (30) so formed has a sidewall thickness of from 7 to 9 times less than the thickness of the sidewall forming section (16) of the preform (10).

10. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the temperature of the blow mould is in a range to permit bottle annealing prior to the removal of said bottle (30) from the blow mould.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said preform (10) is formed from PET and wherein the temperature of the blow mould is about 180 _° F (82 _° C).

12. A method according to any foregoing claim wherein said preform (10) comprises a projection (26) which extends inwardly from the base forming section (22) of the preform (10) which is centrally located and extends axially, said method further comprising the steps of engaging a centering rod during the stretch blow moulding step with said axially extending projection (26); causing said centering rod to move into said blow mould towards the centre of the blow mould base and thus centering the base of the preform (10) into the centre of the base of the blow mould.

13. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the preform (10) is blown such that the outside diameter of the sidewall forming section (16) is from 34 to 37% of the outside diameter of the resultant bottle (30).

14. A method as claimed in claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 13 when appendant on claim 3 wherein the length of the base forming section (22) is from 0.35 to 0.45 times the diameter of the resultant bottle (30).

15. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein said champagne-type base (34) of the bottle (30) includes a contact diameter (52) on which the bottle (30) is adapted to sit and wherein the blow mould is configured so that the resultant bottle (30) has a contact diameter (52) the radius of curvature of which is 0.38 cm (0.15 inch) or greater.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said contact diameter radius (52) is from 0.38 to 0.76 cm (0.15 to 0.300 inch).

17. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the base forming portion of the blow mould is smooth so that the resultant bottle (30) has a base which is continuously reinforced and without ribs.

18. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein said preform is formed from PET having an intrinsic viscosity (IV) of from 0.72 to 0.84.

19. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the bottle sidewall is primarily cyclindrical and has a thickness of from 0.7 to 0.9 percent of the diameter of the bottle (30).

20. A method as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 19 when appendant on claim 2 wherein said bottle sidewall is biaxially oriented to within about 6.35 mm (0.250 inch) of said neck finish (12).

21. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein said bottle sidewall has a portion which is substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle (30) and which is substantially uniform in wall thickness throughout the said portion.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein said portion formed substantially parallel to the axis of the bottle (30) is formed to be the portion of minimum wall thickness in the said sidewall of the bottle (30).

23. A method as claimed in any foregoing claim wherein the champagne-type base (34) includes an unoriented recessed central portion.

Ansprüche

1. Verfahren zum Erhöhen des Widerstandes einer transparenten, blasgeformten Polyester-Flasche (30) gegen Spannungs-Risse, wobei die Flasche eine verhältnismäßig dünne biaxial orientierte Seitenwandung und eine verhältnismäßig dicke weniger orientierte Bodenwandung (34) vom Champagnerflaschen-Typ hat und abwechselnd einer Druckbeaufschlagung und kaustischem Waschen bei 60 C ausgesetzt wird, wobei das Verfahren die Schritte aufweist

- Bereitstellen eines Vorformlings (10) mit einer dickeren Wandung in einem die Basis ausbildenden Abschnitt (22) als in einem die Seitenwandung ausbildenden Abschnitt (16) und

- Streckblasformen des Vorformlings (10), um eine Flasche (30) auszubilden, in der die Bodenwandung (34) eine erhöhte Dicke im Verhältnis zu der Dicke der Seitenwandung hat.

2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, bei dem die Flasche (30) einen Schulterbereich (36) aufweist, der sich zu einem Hals-Endabschnitt (12) zum Aufnehmen eines Verschlusses verjüngt, wobei die Basis (34) eine Bodenwandung besitzt, die dadurch kontinuierlich verstärkt ist, daß sie keine Rippung aufweist.

3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, bei dem der Vorformling (10) aufweist

- eine Öffnung mit einem Hals-Endabschnitt (12),

- einen eine Schulter ausbildenden Abschnitt (14), dessen Wanddicke zunimmt und sich nach auswärts unterhalb des Halbabschnittes (12) verjüngt,

- einen die Seitenwandung ausbildenden Abschnitt (16), der einen kreisförmigen Querschnitt besitzt,

- und einen die Basis ausbildenden Abschnitt (22), der eine zylindrische Wandung (22) und ein halbkugeliges geschlossenes Ende (24) umfaßt, wobei der die Basis ausbildende Abschnitt (22) im Vergleich mit dem die Seitenwand bildenden Abschnitt (16) durchgängig verdickt ist, wodurch die Basis der Flasche (30) verhältnismäßig dick ist und eine niedrige Orientierung hat und die Seitenwand der Flasche (30) verhältnismäßig dünn und biaxial orientiert ist.

4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, bei dem die Bodenwandung der Flasche eine Dicke von ungefähr 4,57 mm (0,180 Zoll) und die Seitenwandung der Flasche eine Dicke von etwa 0,635 mm (0,025 Zoll) hat.

5. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, umfassend einen Heizschritt für den Vorformling (10) unmittelbar vor dem Umformschritt des Streckblasens, und zwar auf eine Temperatur, die im wesentlichen die vor dem Einsetzen der Oberflächenkristallisation maximal erreichbare ist, um dadurch einen erhöhten Kristallisierungsgrad in der Seitenwandung der Flasche (30) zu erreichen.

6. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Polyester PET ist.

7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, bei dem der Vorformling unmittelbar vor dem Umformschritt des Streckblasens auf eine Temperatur von 107°C bis 118_°C (225 _° bis 2450) erwärmt wird, um dadurch eine Kristallisation in der Seitenwandung der Flasche (30) von 24 - 30 % zu produzieren.

8. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 5 bis 7, bei dem der Vorformling (10) durch einen Quarz-Infrarot-Wiedererhitzungsofen erwärmt wird, während er sich im Streckblas-Umformapparat befindet.

9. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Vorformling (10) derart gestreckt wird, daß die so ausgebildete Flasche (30) eine Seitenwand-Dicke von 7 bis 9 mal weniger als die Dicke des die Seitenwand ausbildenden Abschnittes (16) des Vorformlings hat.

10. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Temperatur des Blasformlings sich in einem Bereich befindet, der ein Normalisieren der Flasche unmittelbar vor der Entfernung der Flasche (30) aus der Blasform erlaubt.

11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 10, bei dem der Vorformling (10) aus PET gebildet ist und bei dem die Temperatur der Blasform ungefähr 82 °C (1800 F) beträgt.

12. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Vorformling (10) einen Vorsprung (26) aufweist, der einwärts von dem die Basis ausbildenden Abschnitt (22) des Vorformlings (10) vorsteht, wobei der Vorsprung zentral angeordnet ist und sich axial erstreckt, wobei eine Zentrierstange während der Streckblasformung an dem axial sich erstreckenden Vorsprung (26) angreift; wobei die Zentrierstange veranlaßt wird, sich in die Blasform in Richtung auf das Zentrum der Blasform-Basis zu bewegen und somit die Basis des Vorformlings (10) in das Zentrum der Basis der Blasform zu zentrieren.

13. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Vorformling derart geblasen wird, daß der Außendurchmesser des die Seitenwand ausbildenden Abschnittes (16) 34 bis 37 % des Außendurchmessers der fertigen Flasche (30) beträgt.

14. Verfahren nach Anspruch 3 oder einem der Ansprüche 4 - 13 wenn rückbezogen auf Anspruch 3, bei dem die Länge des die Basis ausbildenden Abschnittes (22) das 0,35 bis 0,45-fache des Durchmessers der fertigen Flasche (30) beträgt.

15. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Champagnerflaschen-Basis (34) der Flasche (30) einen Kontaktdurchmesser (52) einschließt, auf dem die Flasche (30) steht, und wobei die Blasform so konfiguriert ist, daß die fertige Flasche (30) einen Kontaktdurchmesser (52) hat, dessen Krümmungsradius 0,38 cm (0,15 Zoll) oder größer ist.

16. Verfahren nach Anspruch 15, bei dem der Kontaktdurchmesser-Radius (52) 0,38 bis 0,76 cm (0,15 bis 0,300 Zoll) beträgt.

17. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der die Basis ausbildende Abschnitt der Blasform so glatt ist, daß die fertige Flasche (30) eine Basis hat, die kontinuierlich verstärkt und ohne Rippen ist.

18. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem der Vorformling aus PET gebildet ist und eine Eigen-Viskosität (IV) von 0,72 bis 0,84 hat.

19. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Seitenwandung der Flasche hauptsächlich zylindrisch ist und eine Dicke von 0,7 bis 0,9 % des Durchmessers der Flasche 30 hat.

20. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2 oder einem der Ansprüche 3 bis 19 wenn rückbezogen auf Anspruch 2, wobei die Seitenwandung der Flasche bis innerhalb von etwa 6,35 mm (0,250 Zoll) von dem Hals-Endabschnitt (12) biaxial orientiert ist.

21. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Flaschenseitenwandung einen Abschnitt hat, der im wesentlichen parallel ist zu der Achse der Flasche (30) und der im wesentlichen eine gleichförmige Dicke über den ganzen Abschnitt besitzt.

22. Verfahren nach Anspruch 21, bei dem der im wesentlichen parallel zu der Achse der Flasche (30) ausgebildete Abschnitt als der Abschnitt kleinster Wanddicke in der Seitenwandung der Flasche (30) ausgeformt ist.

23. Verfahren nach einem der voranstehenden Ansprüche, bei dem die Champagnerflaschen-Basis (34) einen unorientierten ausgesparten zentralen Abschnitt einschließt.

Revendications

1. Procédé pour augmenter la résistance au fendillement par contrainte d'une bouteille (30) de polyester transparente moulée par soufflage ayant une paroi latérale relativement mince, étirée de manière biaxiale et un fond (34) de type champagne relativement épais, moins étiré, quand elle est soumise à la pressurisation et au lavage caustique à 60 _° C alternés, le procédé comprenant la fourniture d'une préforme (10) ayant une paroi plus épaisse dans une section (22) formant le fond que dans une section (16) formant la paroi latérale et le moulage par étirage-soufflage de la préforme (10) pour former une bouteille (30) dans laquelle le fond (34) a une épaisseur accrue par rapport à l'épaisseur de la paroi latérale.

2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la bouteille (30) a une zone d'épaulement (36) se rétrécissant vers une finition formant goulot (12) pour recevoir une fermeture, et ledit fond (34) a une paroi de fond qui est renforcée de manière continue en ce qu'elle ne comprend pas de nervures.

3. Procédé selon la revendication 2, dans lequel la préforme (10) comprend une ouverture ayant une finition formant goulot (12), une partie (14) formant épaulement augmentant en épaisseur de paroi et rétrécissant extérieurement en dessous de ladite finition formant goulot (12), la section (16) formant paroi latérale a une coupe transversale annulaire et la section (22) formant fond comprend une paroi cylindrique (22) et une extrémité fermée (24) hémisphérique, ladite section (22) formant fond étant épaissie partout comparée à la section (16) formant paroi latérale, de sorte que le fond de la bouteille (30) est relativement épais et a un faible étirement et la paroi latérale de la bouteille (30) est relativement mince et est étirée de manière biaxiale.

4. Procédé selon la revendication 2 ou 3, dans lequel ladite paroi de fond de la bouteille a une épaisseur d'à peu près 4,57 mm (0,180 pouce) et la paroi latérale de la bouteille a une épaisseur d'à peu près 0,635 mm (0,025 pouce).

5. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes comprenant l'étape de chauffage de ladite préforme (10) juste avant l'étape de moulage par étirage-soufflage à une température étant substantiellement le maximum qui puisse être atteint avant le commencement de la cristallisation de surface pour produire, de ce fait, une cristallinité de pourcentage accru dans la paroi latérale de la bouteille (30).

6. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit polyester est du polytétrachloroéthylène.

7. Procédé selon la revendication 6 comprenant de plus l'étape de chauffage de la préforme (10) juste avant l'étape de moulage par étirage-soufflage à une température de 107 _° C à 118 _° C (225 _° F à 245 _° F) pour produire, de ce fait, une cristallisation dans la paroi latérale de la bouteille (30) de 24 à 30 %.

8. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 5 à 7, dans lequel la préforme (10) est chauffée, alors qu'elle est sur un dispositif de moulage par étirage-soufflage, par un four de réchauffage infra rouge à quartz.

9. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la préforme (10) est étirée de sorte que la bouteille (30) ainsi formée a une épaisseur de paroi latérale de 7 à 9 fois inférieure à l'épaisseur de la section (16) formant paroi latérale de la préforme (10).

10. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la température du moulage par soufflage se situe dans une gamme permettant le recuit de la bouteille avant l'enlèvement de ladite bouteille (30) du moule de soufflage.

11. Procédé selon la revendication 10, dans lequel ladite préforme (10) est formée à partir de polytétrachloroéthylène et dans lequel la température du moule de soufflage est d'à peu près 180 _° F (82 _° C).

12. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ladite préforme (10) comprend une saillie (26) qui s'étend intérieurement depuis la section (22) formant fond de la préforme (10) qui est située au centre et s'étend axialement, ledit procédé comprenant de plus les étapes d'engagement d'une tige de centrage pendant l'étape de moulage par étirage-soufflage avec ladite saillie (26) s'étendant axialement ; entraînant ladite tige de centrage à se déplacer dans ledit moule de soufflage vers le centre du fond du moule de soufflage et centrant ainsi le fond de la préforme (10) au centre du fond du moule de soufflage.

13. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la préforme (10) est soufflée de sorte que le diamètre extérieur de la section (16) formant paroi latérale est de 34 à 37 % du diamètre extérieur de la bouteille résultante (30).

14. Procédé selon la revendication 3, ou l'une quelconque des revendications 4 à 13 prise en combinaison avec la revendication 3, dans lequel la longueur de la section (22) formant fond est de 0,35 à 0,45 fois le diamètre de la bouteille résultante (30).

15. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ledit fond (34) de type champagne de la bouteille (30) comporte un diamètre de surface de contact (52) sur lequel la bouteille (30) peut s'appuyer et dans lequel le moule de soufflage est configuré afin que la bouteille résultante (30) ait un diamètre de surface de contact (52) dont le rayon de courbure est de 0,38 cm (0,15 pouce) ou plus.

16. Procédé selon la revendication 15, dans lequel ledit rayon du diamètre de surface de contact (52) est de 0,38 à 0,76 cm (0,15 à 0,300 pouce).

17. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la partie formant fond du moule de soufflage est lisse pour que la bouteille résultante (30) ait un fond qui soit renforcé de manière continue et sans nervures.

18. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ladite préforme est formée à partir de polytétrachloroéthylène ayant une viscosité intrinsèque (IV) de 0,72 à 0,84.

19. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la paroi latérale de la bouteille est principalement cylindrique et a une épaisseur de 0,7 à 0,9 pour-cent du diamètre de la bouteille (30).

20. Procédé selon la revendication 2 ou l'une quelconque des revendications 3 à 19 prise en combinaison avec à la revendication 2, dans lequel ladite paroi latérale de la bouteille est étirée de manière biaxiale jusque dans à peu près 6,35 mm (0,250 pouce) de ladite finition formant goulot (12).

21. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel ladite paroi latérale de la bouteille a une partie qui est substantiellement parallèle à l'axe de la bouteille (30) et qui est substantiellement uniforme en épaisseur de paroi partout dans la ladite partie.

22. Procédé selon la revendication 21, dans lequel ladite partie formée substantiellement parallèle à l'axe de la bouteille (30) est formée pour être la partie d'épaisseur de paroi minimum dans ladite paroi latérale de la bouteille (30).

23. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le fond (34) de type champagne comprend une partie centrale renfoncée non étirée.

Drawing